New Kid from Colorado

Hey everybody, just wanted to introduce myself. I'm pretty much a bourbon neophyte. I've never really had much use for mixed drinks, like most other 21 year-olds, unless it was a martini, but was introduced to bourbon in quite a roundabout way.

So, I'm looking up recipes to brew up a new beer, and here pops up this hugely malty porter recipe, with some vanilla and bourbon thrown in for good measure. Knowing nothing about bourbon other than its a type of whiskey, I'm intrigued. I decide to go for it. Head to the liquor store and nab a bottle of Eagle Rare 10yr to throw in the beer, based solely off the fact that the bottle was awesome, and the message on the back refreshingly patriotic (something nice after going to college in Boulder, CO).

Once the beer is all ready to go, here I'm sitting with this pretty bottle half-full of some strange stuff. "Why Knutzen, what the hell are you going to do with this?" I ask myself. Since there was really only one answer to that question, I grab a tumbler and pour some in.

Wow. This stuff is good. Sweet, spicy, vanilla, some honey maybe, I dunno. The complexity and fullness of the flavor knocked me over. The rest of the bottle didn't last much longer.

So, here I am. My bourbon experience is pretty limited, as is my college-student budget. I'm enjoying Elijiah Craig 12yr and Buffalo Trace, both of which are very pleasing, but not quite up to the memory of that Eagle Rare. I find that I miss the powerful vanilla flavors most of all.

Re: New Kid from Colorado

Hey Knutzen,

I bet you're wondering why you wasted it in beer!?!?
Eagle Rare 101 is a great bourbon at a great value.
I would second the reccomendation of Weller 12yo, although you may be more partial to rye recipe bourbons like the ER. I would also highly recommend Elmer T Lee which is also made at Buffalo Trace.

Welcome to the forums!

Scott

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day" - Frank Sinatra

Re: New Kid from Colorado

Heh, you're sure right, I would have enjoyed that extra 9oz of ER I used in the beer. The brew's still aging though, so we'll see if it was worth it or not.

Thanks for the recommendation on the Lee. I'll be sure to pick it up when I'm through with one of bottles I've got open right now. Can't drink too much, after all, it gets in the way of working out all the time for the job.

I'm actually a Georgia native, but me and the folks like skiing so much that they decided to follow me up to school. Makes life a lot easier when you can drive an hour for some of Mom's good-ole home cookin'.

Re: New Kid from Colorado

The good news for you (and me) is that you can find almost anything you want in the Denver/Boulder area, from the cheap and good stuff to expensive limited editions.

Boulder has stores with good selections, but if you haven't already, take a trip to Daveco Liquors, which is just off I-25 north of Denver. They have an excellent bourbon selection and the prices are generally the lowest I've found. (Also try Total Beverage--if you join their Rewards program they'll send you discount coupons via email, usually 10&#37; or 20% off.)